North Fork Fire nears containment

As of Monday, the fire was 85 percent contained and the North Fork Trail from Smith Lake Trailhead to the Meadow Creek Trail Junction with North Fork were closed.

Monday Aug. 23, 2010 — Fire update

LANDER, Wyo.

- Fire-fighters who have been battling the blaze on National Forest System lands west of Lander for the past five days have managed to keep it under control. By the end of last week, a revised report issued by the forest service put the acreage burned at 330, which is 70 acres less than the original estimate of 400.

The fire is burning through mixed conifer about 16 miles west of Lander. Fueling the fire is a combination of live, dead downed trees and standing brush. Forest officials are now saying it was human caused.

Several roads and trails have been cut off by the fire. Those that remain closed are Fairfield Hill and Cyclone Pass to Shoshone Lake, the Shoshone Lake cutoff to Middle Fork, North Fork Trail from Dickinson and the Cony Basin Trail.

The fire is now about 65 percent contained, even after the weekend Red Flag warning conditions of high winds, warm temperatures and low humidity. By Sunday, firefighters were preparing for an approaching cold front that was expected to move through around midnight and bring increasing and erratic winds on the fire. Once the front moves through, there may be a chance for some moisture. Fire officials expect to have the fire fully contained by the middle of the week.